Two men have been arrested in Alicante for allegedly employing undocumented migrant workers in inhumane conditions while renovating tourist flats.
The suspects, aged 55 and 34, were detained by the Policia Nacional following a joint operation with the Labor Inspectorate.
The probe uncovered a total of 14 workers operating without contracts – several in what authorities described as ‘extremely precarious’ circumstances.
The arrests were made after officers from the Provincial Immigration and Borders Brigade launched an investigation into reports of unregistered foreign workers being used at two construction sites in the city.
Both men now face charges relating to serious violations of workers’ rights.
The investigation began after authorities received a tip-off about illegal labor being used on a property undergoing conversion into tourist apartments.
Surveillance quickly revealed a stream of Latin American workers – clad in paint-smeared overalls -entering the building.
A second site, just blocks away, showed a similar pattern: Eastern European workers working in silence, many appearing unfamiliar with the language or their rights.
With both sites under suspicion, a coordinated raid was carried out.
At the first location, officers found three men – aged between 36 and 60 – living and working inside the shell of the building.
They slept on mattresses on the floor, shared a single power source for multiple appliances, and had no access to toilets or proper washing facilities.
According to police, they worked nine-hour days, Monday through Friday, for €75 a day – paid in cash.
A fourth worker, 53, was later identified, along with a woman who had been cleaning the site. None had contracts or Social Security registration.
Meanwhile, at the second construction site, police encountered 10 more workers, aged 20 to 43.
Most could not speak Spanish and were forced to supply their own tools. Safety measures were nonexistent, and none were legally contracted. Three were found to be undocumented.
The man in charge of the first site – aged 55 with a history of prior offenses – was arrested on site. The second, aged 34, was later tracked down and detained. Both cases have now been handed to the Alicante duty court.
Police are urging the public to report any suspected labor exploitation, particularly in sectors like construction, where illegal hiring and abusive conditions are rife.
Victims are encouraged to file complaints confidentially at local police stations or via www.policia.es.
